Copyright Canada

Promoting innovation by protecting user rights and the public domain

Friday, February 11, 2005

Toronto Copyright conference- Update!

The Sixth Annual TIP Conference, Sound Bytes, Sound Rights: Canada at the Crossroads of Copyright Law, has come and gone. Judging by the size and enthusiasm of the crowd in attendance, I'd say the conference was a resounding success. Congratulations, U of T!

Important observations: -First, I've finally seen firsthand how of upset, and frankly, narrow minded and selfish, some artists and their representatives are. On the other hand, artist/producers like Neil Layton from Fading Ways Music were absolutely incredible, showing how they are making music and making a living using new technologies, and without suing anyone.

-Second, I've seen firsthand now the outstanding ability of politicians to say two things at the same time that are completely contradictory, yet somehow are also absolutely meaningless. Sarmite Bulte, MP, actually told the audience with a straight face that she was trying to ram through legislation that would tax Internet users and destroy fair dealing by providing legal protection for digital restrictions management systems BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO WORKS. (WTF? @!$?!) Let me get this straight: she really wants people to use material on the Internet, so she wants to put a tax on Internet connections and put passwords on content so people can't use it without special permission or paying royalties? That just makes no sense at all. NO. SENSE. AT. ALL.

-Third, Bulte, as member of parliament and a servant of the Canadian public, should disclose how much money the recording industry and artists' groups have given her and the Liberal Party campaign over the years. Being in a position of public trust, she should not be advocating for a small group of interests if that group is giving her substantial amounts of money. Her job as a politician is to represent her constituents, not to represent industry lobby groups that might be financing her campaign.

-Fourth and finally, Electronic Frontier Canada, by means of yours truly, Damien Fox, met lots of great people interested in the work Electronic Frontier Canada is doing and that want to help. They saw people like Bulte spew their doublethink doubletalk, and aren't going to take it lying down. Go on over to www.efc.ca and get in on the action.